Scriptural text: Isaiah 47:10-15
Lesson Context: The Prophet Isaiah is called the court prophet because he had the most direct association with two kings of Judah: Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1-17), and Hezekiah (2 Kings 19-20, Isaiah 38). Isaiah seems to have had free access to the palace. Isaiah 39:5-6 predicts a captivity in Babylon (Isaiah 36-39). Isaiah wrote as though Babylon had already conquered Judah, but his prophecies predated Babylon’s existence as an empire by about 150 years.
In this lesson, Isaiah fortells God’s destruction of Babylon.
Failed Confidence (Isaiah 47:10-11).
Babylon like other nations that had followed in her steps, took for its law that Might was Right, practically denied the existence of a Ruler who saw and judged, and boasted of its wisdom. The context implies that the special form of wisdom spoken of was that of astrology and magic. My counsels are so deeply and craftily laid, and my designs are so secretly carried on, that none can discover them or prevent their execution. And thou hast supposed that God himself either did not regard thee, or would not call thee to an account of thy wicked conduct. Babylon trusted in its military and political might to the degree that it imagined its every move to have been mandated by a god. To put it another way, the empire ended up seeing itself as the god who justified its own actions.
God’s Guarantee (v. 11).
Therefore shall evil come upon thee The evil of punishment, a great calamity, Nebuchadnezzar foretold, as Abydenus relates, a calamity, should come upon the Babylonians, a day of evil, because of the above sins Babylon was guilty of thou shalt not know from whence it riseth from what quarter it will come, little dreaming of Cyrus, with whom the Chaldeans had had no quarrels. So mystical Babylon will not know from whence it her ruin will come, little thinking that the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication with her, will hate her, and burn her flesh with fire.
Failed Defenses (Isaiah 47:12-13).
Isaiah mocked Babylon by encouraging them to continue in worthless magical practices. Who knew-maybe these would succeed! But Isaiah knew that God would not allow such practices to profit Babylon any longer. Their days of brutalizing other nations with their might were numbered.
Fiery Fortunes (vv.14-15).
Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them Not only can the sorcerers of Babylon not deliver others from God’s judgment, they can’t even deliver themselves. The fire of judgment that comes upon them will be severe; it will not be a coal to be warned by, nor a fire to sit before No one can save you What a final sentence! And if we will not find salvation in the Lord; if we will not look to Him and be saved, then certainly no one shall save you.
References: Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Matthew Henry Bible Commentary, 2021-2022 KJV Standard Lesson Commentary